Hangers for supporting fabric wall coverings are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,171,952; 3,833,046; 4,018,260; and 4,053,008. While the wall hangers shown in these patents are effective for holding a flexible panel suspended against a wall, once the panel is properly engaged therewith, because of the structure embodied therein and the closeness of the hanger to the adjacent ceiling, considerable difficulty is experienced in engaging the edge of the flexible panel with the hanger. Generally, a tool is required to expand the clamping edges to receive the edge of the panel and this requires threading the edges through the length of the hanger. This problem is especially aggravated by the fact that the resiliently engaged jaws can only be expanded in successive lengths to introduce the edge of the panel. The problem of mounting is further aggravated by the proximity of the clamping means to the ceiling which affords limited access for manipulation. It is the purpose of this invention to provide a wall hanger which will obviate the aforesaid disadvantages in a simple and expeditious manner so that the edge of the panel to be hung can be easily interengaged with the jaws of the hanger and clamped into place throughout its length without the aid of tools.
As herein illustrated, the hanger for wall coverings comprises a flat, elongate strip of generally rectangular configuration having spaced, parallel, longitudinal edges and flat front and back faces and resiliently interengageable jaws on the front face comprising a ledge projecting forwardly from the front face intermediate the longitudinal edges coextensive in length with the strip defining an upstanding lip spaced from and parallel to the front face and a latch coextensive in length with the lip resiliently supported on the face of the strip spaced from the lip by an amount to permit inserting the free edge of the wall covering to be supported between it and the lip, said latch being engageable with the lip to form the edge of the wall covering into a bite about the lip to thus anchor the edge of the wall covering to the hanger. The ledge projects forwardly from the front face of the strip at right angles thereto and the lip stands upwardly from the distal edge of the ledge. The latch is disposed below the ledge with respect to the upper edge of the strip and comprises forwardly and upwardly-inclined portions and a hook structured to embrace the lip. When the hook is disengaged from the lip, it stands in spaced, parallel relation to the lip so that there is a gap defined between the lip and the hook for freely receiving the upper edge of the hanging panel. The latch is flexibly deformable after inserting the upper edge of the panel to engage the hook with the lip. The lip at the distal edge of the ledge may be disposed at right angles thereto or at an angle inclined toward the face of the strip. The hook desirably defines an acute angle.